1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to delivering information in a network environment.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently if a user desires to download information (e.g. multimedia information) from a network such as the Internet, an information provider must first determine the capabilities available on a user terminal. Thus, the information provider first queries the user, via a menu for example, to determine the user terminal capabilities such as the number of pixels displayable on the user terminal display, the type of sound system that is installed in the user terminal and data transmission speeds that is supported by the user terminal network interface. The information provider receives the above user terminal information, and, if choices are available, selects the requested information in a most compatible pre-formatted form for delivery to the user.
The requirement for the user to explicitly declare the user terminal capabilities each time information is downloaded is very inconvenient. In addition, many times the user is not technically oriented and may not know what capabilities are available on the terminal. Moreover, if none of the predetermined formats are suitable for information reproduction by the user terminal, the user terminal reproduces the information in an undesirable manner. Thus, there is a need to provide a method and apparatus to more conveniently determine the user terminal capabilities and to deliver information so that the user terminal capabilities may be most effectively used.